Common Name: sage
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Caucasus
Zone: 5 to 8
Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet
Spread: 0.50 to 1.00 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Blue
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer, Drought, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers moist, light, gravelly or sandy soils with good drainage. Tolerates drought. Avoid wet soils in winter.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Salvia daghestanica, commonly called Caucasus sage, is a low-growing, mat-forming, prostrate perennial that features velvety-textured, marginally-toothed, oblong-lanceolate leaves (each to 2” long) in tight basal rosettes rising to only 3-4” tall. Leaves are densely covered on both surfaces with silver-white hairs. Flower spikes rise upward from the foliage mound to 8-10” in late spring to early summer bearing showy blue flowers (to 1/2” long) in whorls. This salvia is native to the Caucasus Mountains near the Black Sea.
Formerly known as Salvia canescens var. daghestanica.
The genus name Salvia comes from the Latin word salveo meaning "to save or heal", in reference to the purported medically curative properties attributed to some plants in the genus.
Specific epithet is in reference to the Republic of Dagestan (aka Daghestan) located in the Caucasus region of southwestern Russia where this plant is native.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs and snails can be troublesome. Stem and root rot, powdery mildew, rust and leaf spot may be problems.
Uses
Rock garden. Bedding plant. Ground cover. Edging.